“You know what you have to do; be valiant therein.”
Then he saw the gentle girl who was given him, comfortably tucked up in the bedclothes, terribly curious, her head buried under, but hazarding a glance as at the point of a halberd, and saying to herself—
“I must obey him.”
And knowing nothing, she awaited the will of this slightly ecclesiastical gentleman, to whom, in fact, she belonged. Seeing which, the Chevalier de Montcontour came close to the bed, scratched his ear, and knelt down, a thing in which he was expert.
“Have you said your prayers?” said he.
“No,” said she; “I have forgotten them. Do wish me to say them?”
Then the young couple commenced the business of a housekeeping by imploring God, which was not at all out of place. But unfortunately the devil heard, and at once replied to their requests, God being much occupied at that time with the new and abominable reformed religion.
“What did they tell you to do?” said the husband.
“To love you,” said she, in perfect innocence.
“This has not been told to me; but I love you, I am ashamed to say, better than I love God.”